Meet the Red team: Canada's Ultimate Challenge

Coach

Donovan Bailey is one of the world's all-time greatest sprinting legends and the first Canadian to break the 10-second  barrier in the 100 metres. He is a two-time Olympic champion, three-time world champion and two-time record holder. He's also the only person to be inducted into Canada's Sports Hall of Fame, twice. 

Donovan is now an entrepreneur, philanthropist and media commentator and in 2022, he was named an officer to the Order of Canada.

Donovan is looking forward to bringing his wealth of coaching experience to Canada's Ultimate Challenge, "managing athletes is absolutely not new to me. I'm the anchor for the greatest team in Canadian history, our relay team. And I personally had to manage all those personalities while they're all trying to beat me in the 100 meters individual." 

Players

Chris Cederstrand, 42
Okotoks, Alta.

Chris Cederstrand is an athlete and public speaker. In 2004, he was working with a road construction crew when he lost his leg in an accident. With determination, he was able to realize his dream and become North America's first above-the-knee amputee firefighter.

Chris stayed involved in sports after his accident by playing on Team Canada's sledge hockey team for eight years.  He brings leadership, perseverance and leadership to the competition, "I can go out here as an above-the-knee amputee and compete with essentially all able-bodied athletes. I think that's a testament to how far people can actually push themselves."

Franz Wellington, 52
Toronto, Ont.

Franz Wellington is a lifestyle and fitness specialist, who was born in Jamaica and immigrated to Canada to study business and play football. He thrives on high pressure learned from his former job as a professional off-floor stock trader. 

"My biggest strengths are passion, my raw athleticism and most importantly, I'm a clutch performer," says Franz, who wants "to inspire my kids and others my age to take on huge challenges. Life is a series of challenges. We have to keep climbing!"

Lori Campbell, 50
Regina, Sask.

Lori Campbell is an associate vice president of Indigenous engagement at the University of Regina. A member at Montreal Lake First Nations, she is a survivor of the sixties scoop and has successfully reunited with her birth mother and six of her living siblings who were also adopted out across several provinces. "As an Indigenous two-spirit woman I don't see myself represented in many public spaces and roles. I often have young two-spirit people reach out to me because they are struggling and I know how lonely it can feel without role models. Sometimes you just have to step up and be what you can't see - so that others will hopefully struggle just a little bit less."

As a 50-year-old woman who works in an office job, Lori stays fit to maintain good mental health. She brings stamina and maturity to the competition, "I just dug deep and thought about all the pain and violence my ancestors went through and thought I can do anything," she says, " I didn't want any Indigenous person to feel like they weren't good enough!"

Skylar LeBlanc, 27
Halifax, N.S.

Skylar LeBlanc is a marketing coordinator and former captain of the Mount Allison University football team. Fitness is his passion, along with being a single dad to his young son.  "I hope I can establish a precedent for my son or anybody else out there that might need some inspiration," says Skylar, "the level of success you wish to achieve in any area is controlled by your efforts."